Babar's public campaign in haor areas after one and half decades
Madan (Netrakona) Correspondent
After a long absence of over a decade and a half, former State Minister for Home Affairs, Md. Lutfozzaman Babar, has returned to his home constituency to campaign.
Using a speedboat to navigate the vast haor wetlands, he traveled from village to village, exchanging greetings with his constituents. From Saturday to Sunday evening (August 24), he held public gatherings and courtyard meetings in various villages and markets. His return seemed to stir the serene waters of the haor, drawing out a massive crowd eager to see him.
Babar's ancestral home is in Madan upazila of Netrokona, and he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) from the Netrokona-4 constituency (Madan, Mohanganj, and Khaliajuri) on three occasions. He served as State Minister for Home Affairs in Begum Khaleda Zia's cabinet after being elected for his third term in the 8th national parliamentary election in 2001.
His arrival has created a festive atmosphere across Madan, Mohanganj, and Khaliajuri. Banners and archways welcoming him were erected from towns to villages, and his name became the talk of the town, from teahouses to government offices. He was accompanied by top leaders and activists of the district BNP and its affiliated organizations.
The public campaign saw the participation of over 50 speedboats and more than 300 party activists. Hundreds of people in every village on the haor's banks waved their hands in welcome. There was widespread excitement among the general public to see their former representative after such a long time.
In conversations with local villagers, Babar advised the youth to forge ahead in education, technical skills, and business. He also extended his best wishes for the recovery of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and urged everyone to work for the country under the leadership of acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman.
The former state minister was released from prison on January 16 after serving a 17-year sentence.
